For Students to Succeed, Put High-Quality Curriculum in Teachers’ Hands

Without guidance on classroom materials or effective professional development, teachers may give students classwork not appropriate for their grade

October 2, 2022 | The 74

The recent National Assessment of Educational Progress results brought news that educators and families alike were dreading: Math and reading scores for 9-year-olds dropped to levels unseen for decades during the pandemic. Notably, average long-term math performance fell for the first time ever, and reading scores had the most significant drop in 30 years.

This may feel like cause for panic. But there’s one big reason for hope: Educators know more about improving teaching and learning than ever before.

In The 74, Leading Educators CEO Chong-Hao Fu encourages states and districts to incentivize investments in curriculum and curriculum-based professional learning. He argues, “Rigorous research on emerging models of teacher development shows positive results for students hit hardest by COVID-19. And with billions of dollars in federal relief funding at their disposal, school system administrators and state leaders have the resources to take bold action.”